Disclaimer: I do not own Lizzie McGuire, Disney does. I also do not own Sesame Street, PBS does (I think), however I just realized that I own Emily. Yeah, one for me!
A/N- Hi everyone, sorry its been so long, its been a crazy couple weeks. I hate school!!! Anyways, to make up for it this is a REALLY long chapter, partly because it's been a while and partly because I promised to get Gordo there and it took a while, but I got him there. Yeah! So I hope you enjoy, and thank you so much for the reviews, they keep me motivated.
Chapter 9-Face to Face
"I mean…I always kind of thought, but… never really believed." Jo McGuire was seated between her children at the kitchen table trying to make sense of what she had heard. Lizzie felt horrible, she hadn't intended on her mother finding out the way that she had.
"Mom…I…" Lizzie tried to find an explanation but couldn't find one. "I'm sorry?" It came out as more of a question than a statement.
"SORRY!?"
Yikes, her mom hadn't sounded that mad in a long time.
"Lizzie how could you lie like that?" Lizzie was working on a response to the question when her father came in from the backyard. He looked around to see his wife clutching a glass of water and his children on either side of her; his son looking sheepish and his daughter looking unquestionably guilty.
"What's going on here? Jo, is something wrong?"
"Your daughter has something to tell you... don't you Lizzie?"
"Well..." Lizzie stammered trying to find a good excuse to leave the room. Her mom had been hard enough to deal with, and she was the calm, rational, parent; her father would be ten times worse.
"Lizzie, tell your father."
"Well... see the thing is..." Lizzie looked around nervously
"Lizzie!"
"GorisEmlyfader." Lizzie mumbled hurriedly; there that should do it she thought.
"Wha?" Sam looked even more confused now and he was starting to get a little irritated. Something was up and he wanted to know what it was; plus, the thought of burning his barbecue was dancing in his head.
Lizzie took a deep breath; well it was now or never. "Gordo is Emily's father! Whoa, don't we all feel a little better...?" There is it was out what was the worst that could happen?
--
"Okay Sam, honey, breathe, breathe in the bag...good."
"How...I can't believe...what." Sam gasped for air.
"Elevate his legs," Matt barked, "he may be going into shock. How many fingers am I holding up? "
"Leave your father alone," Jo gave more of a threat than a warning. "Sam, have you ever looked at Emily? Are you really surprised that Gordo is her father?"
"Oh he is um...Wow! No way." Miranda had just entered the room to see where everyone was, and had walked right into the middle of everything. "I think I'm going to go... somewhere else think about this news that I am hearing for the first time...ever."
"Hold it Miranda." Jo ordered, "Did you know about this?"
"Me? Uh...well" Miranda glanced helplessly at Lizzie who could only shrug. "MMMMM?" Miranda barely managed to give a muffled word and a circular nod.
"What...what was that?" Jo was determined to get a straight answer from someone.
"UHHHH?" Miranda stammered, nodding her head more violently this time. She loved Mrs. McGuire, but she was really intimidating when she was mad, she kind of put Melina to shame; she now knew why Mrs. McGuire enjoyed her so much.
Lizzie finally stepped in and saved her. "Yes, she knew alright! She's known since the beginning, when I found out I was pregnant... Larry knows too."
"WHAT! Larry and Miranda knew, but not your own parents!" Jo was really starting to yell now and Sam finally found his voice.
"It was a strange time for me..." She searched for a good pity line. "The love of my life had just left me and I was so scared...so alone" Lizzie gave her best sad face.
Jo's face softened and then, after a moment of realization, it became stonier than before. "Oh no you don't missy!"
"Lizzie we asked you to your face if Gordo was the father and you said no. You said it was 'one night...'" Sam shuddered at the thought and Lizzie began to regret her choice of lies. But it had been that or Immaculate Conception and at the time the latter had seemed a little too unbelievable; now it sounded much better. "You said that you would never be able to find this guy. Now you're saying that you lied right to our face?" Lizzie's lip began to tremble; it really sounded bad when he said it.
"Well dad," Matt spoke up, putting his arm around Lizzie's shoulders "Look at the up-side, we thought she was a slut, but now we know she's just a liar!"
"MATT!!" Both parents yelled in perfect unison.
"Matt get out of here... take Lizzie and Miranda with you," Jo turned her attention to Lizzie "your father and I need to talk."
"What am I twelve?" Lizzie asked. "I hate to break it to you, but I'm 28 now and I have a child of my own!" Lizzie stomped her foot indignantly; okay not the most mature thing to do.
"Elizabeth Brooke McGuire!" The look her mother shot her would have stopped an angry grizzly bear in his tracks.
"Fine, I'm going." Lizzie followed by Matt and Miranda slunk out of the room and almost ran into Lanny and Melina who were crouched just around the corner, apparently having overheard the entire conversation. The two jumped when they saw the trio hovering over them.
"You're right Lanny.... Uh, the walls are white. I always thought they were eggshell!" Melina looked up and smiled innocently.
"God, this is bad." Lizzie moaned as she made her way into the living room and flopped on to the couch. "They are freaking out."
"Well, Lizzie " Miranda asked coming to sit next to her on the couch, "are you really surprised? You did kind of lie to them about the father of your child, that's kind of big."
"Oh really? You think?" Lizzie didn't intend for that to come out quite as snippy as it had and noticing the hurt look on Miranda's face she quickly added, "You're right, I know that, I came here to tell the truth and face what ever consequences come my way." Lizzie leaned her back and sighed, "The worst is yet to come though, whatever my parents reaction is, Gordo's will be...I dunno, and that's what makes it so much worse."
Miranda tried to think of something supportive to say, but nothing seemed right so the two sat in silence. Matt, Lanny and Melina all came in as well and sat in various parts of the room; it was probably the quietist that Lizzie had ever heard the three of them.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, sitting became too much for Lizzie and she stood up. "I'm going to go check on Emily, make sure she's still asleep." The words were barely out of her mouth when her parents walked in.
"Hey guys." Lizzie tried to hide the quiver in her voice. Her parents looked tired, and her mom's eyes looked a little red, probably from crying.
"Sit down sweetheart." Her dad said. Sam and Jo sat down next to Lizzie; Miranda got up and went to stand next Matt. The parents motioned that they wanted to talk to Lizzie alone. Miranda and company headed out of the living room, but stayed in the door way; out of Sam and Jo's line of vision.
"Honey," her father started "We were shocked to find out who Emily's biological father is, very shocked." Lizzie nodded; this wasn't what she had expected. "It really hurts us," Sam continued, "that you felt that you had to hide this piece of information from us; Emily is our granddaughter." Lizzie nodded again, were they going to yell, was this the calm before the storm? It was an eerie feeling, like when it rains, but the sun is still shinning.
"We realized though," her mother began and she smiled at Lizzie, "why you did, you were trying to protect Gordo, and sweetie that's very noble of you."
Lizzie began to feel confused, where were they going with this? Her mother was still talking." He found out you were pregnant, and chose his movies over you and the baby. He obviously didn't love you the way we all thought he did."
Lizzie sat there shocked; oh lord she thought, they think he knew…oh no! Wait what was her father saying?
"When I think what that son of a…"
"Sam!" Her mother admonished him.
"Sorry, but what he did is reprehensible, leaving Lizzie and his child, his unborn child, to fend for themselves."
"Sweetie, we love you, and we're glad we know the truth now." Her mom gave her a huge hug before continuing. "You have been so brave the last few years, raising Emily alone, moving to a strange city, doing so well in your career…" Her mother leaned in for another hug as did her father, "We're so proud of you..." Both parents began to cry.
Lizzie spotted Matt and Miranda over her parent's shoulders. Both looked completely shocked. Lizzie knew she needed to set her parents straight, tell them that Gordo didn't know, he may have walked out on her, but not Emily. She needed to tell them that she had hid Emily from Gordo. She needed to tell them that if Gordo had known about Emily, he would have never left; she wasn't 100 percent sure, but she had faith in him. She needed to tell her parents these things, but she didn't want to ruin the moment. She looked helplessly at Miranda who mouthed to her "Tell them!" Right, tell them, no more lies..." "Mom…Dad…I…" Lizzie began, but was interrupted.
"Mommy! Mommy where are you?" Emily shouted from a room upstairs.
"I...Thanks for your support mom, dad, I really appreciate it." Lizzie said quickly giving them another hug before getting up. "I better go get Emily." Lizzie sped from the room, Miranda hot on her heels.
"What was that?" Miranda hissed as she chased Lizzie up the stairs, "Lizzie why didn't you…"
"Look not in front of Emily okay?" Lizzie stood in front of the door to her parent's room, where Emily had been napping. "I'll be down in a few minutes."
Miranda shook her head and headed for the room where she was staying, "You just made it...this is much worse Lizzie, you know that, don't you? This is not good, I mean, this is bad! Now you have two very big wrongs to right. You know I may not be here to help you pick up the pieces when this all blows up in your face. And believe me, this doesn't look like it has a happy ending."
"Miranda!" Lizzie pleaded; what was with her and all this foreboding? Why hadn't she stopped her parents in the middle and set them straight? Either way, it was a little pressure relieved for now; or at least now that she had practice. Telling Gordo would be easier now; she hoped.
--
The rest of the evening passed uneventfully. Her dad finished barbecuing; it was fabulous, having burned only a few odd pieces. Matt and his entourage departed about 9:00. Lanny was going undercover that night and Matt was doing preliminary surveillance for him; Melina was going along for fun or as they referred to her as, 'extra muscle'. Miranda was a little quiet and later in the evening she became a bit jumpy; she went to bed early claiming jet lag. Lizzie didn't think that she'd ever get Emily to sleep, but finally about 10:30, with the help of her mother she managed to get the little night owl in bed; Apparently, the two-hour time shift hadn't had any affect on Emily.
Lizzie, herself, had a hard time falling asleep. The guilt of lying to her parents, a second time, was weighing heavily on her as well as the knowledge that she was going to need to get in touch with Gordo the next day and begin part one of her twelve-step 'admitting who the father is' program. She wished that Springer was still on the air; a mental image of Steve having to restrain Gordo, while her father swung chairs at people, made her smile a little. Finally, a little after 2:30 in the morning, Lizzie managed to doze off.
--
She didn't think she had been sleeping that hard, but the next thing she knew the sun was shinning brightly and something was making the bed bounce up and down, was it an earthquake?
"Get up mommy," a little voice sang over and over.
"Mhmmm." Lizzie rolled over and found herself looking into the bright blue eyes of her daughter; a miniature earthquake in her own right. "What time is it Em?"
"I don't know!" The little girl giggled and continued to bounce. Lizzie was beginning to get seasick. "Sesame Street just ended."
"I can't believe that show is still on the air," Lizzie mumbled. She had grown up watching Sesame Street, but recently they had changed the format of the show; they had begun to develop storylines for the characters. Bert had moved out of he and Ernie's apartment and moved in with Elmo. Elmo owned his own clothing company and was a multi-millionaire, now Elmo only laughed at the sweet smell of money. Ernie had become so distraught that he had plotted to put Bert in a coma...
Wait, Sesame Street had just ended? That meant it was, Lizzie did some quick addition, almost ten in the morning. "How long have you been up sweetie, I didn't hear you get up?"
"I dunno, Grandma came in and got me a while ago. She made me pancakes and I got to see Grandpa before he went to work. Grandma and I are going to see him for lunch today."
Lizzie finally sat up and pulled the little girl into her lap for a hug.
"That sounds like fun. Is Aunt Randa up yet?" Emily giggled and squirmed trying to wiggle free of her mother and bounce some more.
"She left."
"Left? Where'd she go?" Lizzie tried to remember if Miranda had mentioned if she was going some place the night before.
"She went..." Emily tried to catch her breath, jumping on the bed, at any age, was hard work. "I dunno, she left a note on the kitchen counter, Grandma told me."
"C'mon munchkin lets go talk to Grandma and find out where Aunt Randa went." Lizzie got out of bed and managed to catch Emily in mid bounce.
"Hey," Emily protested wriggling in Lizzie's arms "Lemme go, I wanna bounce! I'm Tigger, I gotta bounce!"
--
Lizzie managed to get 'Tigger' down to the kitchen and plopped her into one of the chairs around the center island where her mom was using up the last of the pancake batter.
"Where'd Miranda go?"
Her mom smiled at her. "Good morning to you too, sleepyhead!"
"Sorry, Good morning mom. Now, where is Miranda?"
"She left a note that some aunt who lives in San Diego is in the hospital and that her parents drove up really early to take her to see the aunt in the hospital. She should be back either late Saturday or early Sunday."
"I wonder why she didn't just wake me up and tell me, why the note." Lizzie was sorry that Miranda had a sick family member, but she needed Miranda too! Wow, how selfish did that sound?
"Well she probably didn't want to wake you up, you tossed and turned there for awhile." Her mom gave her that pointed, over the glasses, raised eyebrow look.
"Yeah mommy, you kept me up all night!" Emily chimed in, wanting to be part of the grown up conversation.
"Is that so little miss." Lizzie answered leaning down to poke at Emily's' ribs. "I seem to remember someone kicking all night long… I wonder who that was?"
"Not me!!" Emily giggled, shaking her blonde curls.
"Hmmm… must have been some other little girl, with pink toenails!" Lizzie looked down at Emily's little pink toes hanging off of the edge of the chair.
"Here you go sweetie. I made your favorite kind, prune-chunk." Jo set down a plate of pancakes and a glass of juice in front of Lizzie. "Just kidding, they're chocolate chip. Eat up and I'll take Miss Em upstairs and get her cleaned up and dressed."
Lizzie felt a pang of guilt as she looked up at her mom and smiled, she had to stop lying. "Thanks mom."
Her mom smiled her best, most comforting, mom smile and started upstairs with Emily; Lizzie heard part of their conversation.
"I want to wear pink today Grandma, with bows in my hair."
"Just like your mother when she was five!" Jo encouraged.
--
Guilt had caused Lizzie's appetite to wane so she picked at her pancakes for a few minutes; and that was how Matt found her when he walked in.
"Hey Pinocchio!" He greeted her cheerfully tossing a gym bag on the counter and helping himself to one of her pancakes."
"Those are mine worm!" Lizzie swatted at him, not very mature, but what could she say old habits die-hard.
"So," Matt grinned at her undeterred, "when mom and dad find out about your second lie…well pancakes will be the least of your worries. I really have to thank you Lizzie, when everything comes out I will FINALLY be the 'good-one'!"
"Doubt it, I may have lied, but I haven't caused the FBI to show up at the door!"
"Not yet! I have some guys at working on a dossier of information on you, you're days are numbered old girl!"
Lizzie rolled her eyes she was never quite sure how seriously to take Matt.
"Where's mom?" Matt asked looking around the kitchen, "I'd hate for her to walk in on any more 'confessions'."
"That was your fault, you egged it out of me!"
"You lied in the first place!"
"Yeah well…" Argghh! She hated it when Matt was right. "…Well you're just a spiky haired weasel!"
"Hey you two!" Her mother called, coming into the room with Emily "I thought that by the time you were 28 and 25 this bickering would stop."
Lizzie bit back the urge to proclaim that 'he started it!" Instead she looked at her daughter, who looked adorable in a denim jumper with pink and purple flowers embroidered on it, a pink tee shirt, and little white Keds. Her blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail and a little pink bow was perched on top. Her mom had also changed into one of her many sweater sets and a skirt.
"Wow, you two look nice, what are you up to today?" Matt did his best sucking up routine.
Emily preened and did a little ballerina twirl before Jo answered. "We're going to run some errands, do a little shopping and have lunch with grandpa. Do you want to come Lizzie?"
Lizzie shook her head, "Nah, I have some stuff to do." Like finding reasons to avoid calling Gordo or try to get in touch with Miranda, she thought.
"Well okay, we'll be back later this afternoon," Both left the kitchen and headed for the front door. "Bye Matt, try leaving a little food for the rest of us!"
"Sure mmmgh." Matt called from the refrigerator; already gnawing on a cold leftover chicken leg.
Lizzie walked with her mom and Emily to the front door and helped Emily get her backpack on; the one she took everywhere.
"Be good for Grandma." Lizzie said kissing her forehead.
"I will, I will" Emily assured her.
--
Lizzie spent the rest of the morning showering, getting dressed, and avoiding her brother; the FBI agent with all his questions. She tried to call Miranda's cell phone, but apparently it had been turned off. She hoped that her Aunt would be ok and she even thought about going to the store to get a 'Get Well Soon' card.
About noon she was getting bored and was about to settle down with her computer and check her work emails when the doorbell rang. She waited for Matt to get it, he was closer, but it rang again. Lizzie finally got up and headed downstairs. She looked around for Matt and found him completely engrossed in some action hero video game, oblivious to the rest of the world. The doorbell rang for a third time and Lizzie finally ran to get it. When she opened the door her heart stopped in her chest and then proceeded to fall into her stomach.
"Gordo," she whispered.
--
Gordo had arrived in town early in the afternoon, the day before. Unfortunately most of his courage had been lost along the highway, so he had spent the day, at his parents' house, building it back up. Well that and sleeping, something he had done very little of the last few days. He had awakened Friday morning refreshed and ready to go; almost, it had taken a good four hours to find the perfect thing to say and then make himself walk over there. He had also worried that she wasn't even in town yet; the reunion wasn't for another week, there was a very good chance that she was still…wherever she lived now. Something deep in his gut made him go, however, told him she was there.
He had almost been sick to his stomach standing in front of her door again, so close; he had summoned every ounce of courage he had ever had to ring that doorbell…and then ring it again…and one more time. Gordo was about to give up for the day, take it as a sign, fate if you will, that this wasn't the day to make things right with Lizzie; then the door opened.
There she was. She looked exactly as he remembered, but different at the same time. She had the same blonde hair, a little longer than the last time he had seen her, just past her shoulders. They were the same brown eyes, which were quickly filling up with shock and disbelief; much like the last time he'd seen her actually. She was Lizzie, and yet she wasn't. This Lizzie was more mature, was a grown up, she was probably Elizabeth or Liz now, not Lizzie. She also hadn't said anything and Gordo debated whether or not he should leave when she finally whispered his name.
--
"Hi Lizzie." He said quietly, not much of opening line but he hadn't actually prepared anything for this part of the meeting. Part of him felt like turning around and running off. That's a great visual, he thought.
"Gordo" she said again, part of the shock seemed to be wearing off and it was replaced by something that looked like fear.
"What are you…Why are you…How you are…" Lizzie stammered. At least that hadn't changed too much, that part was still Lizzie.
"I came to see you." Gordo said simply, with a hint of confidence. "I needed to see you," he added.
Lizzie nodded; some coherence seemed to be making its way back to her face.
"How did you…"she began looking slightly confused
"I don't know, I just guessed and hoped that you'd be here."
Lizzie nodded again, he could tell she was still grappling with the whole situation and he began to fear that she had a boyfriend or husband inside, but he didn't see any rings and secretly hoped that she was single.
"I'm sorry, I just… seeing you," her voice trailed off.
"I know, it's been awhile."
Lizzie nodded her head again.
Her thoughts were racing so fast she could barely think coherently, let alone speak. Why was he here? Was it another dream, she pinched her arm and bit her tongue at the same time to check. Ouch!! Nope this definitely was not a dream. Gordo was standing in front of her, on her (well her parents) doorstep. Six years of nothing and suddenly there he is. Looking exactly as she remembered, dark curls, blue eyes, serious face, slouchy posture; it was Gordo. He looked older though, you could tell that he'd seen a lot; He had the same intensity as well, but it seemed more controlled, or focused, than it had in the past.
She couldn't decide what to do, part of her wanted to fall into his arms and feel that same security and warmth that she had craved all these years, to be safe in Gordo's protective embrace. Part of her wanted to really let him have it, to scream at him for the past, what he had done, how he had left, make him hurt the way she had. Then there was her conscience, which seemed to sound like Miranda, telling her to break down and confess everything, Emily and her lies, everything.
Unfortunately all she seemed able to do was say his name and a few half statements. He seemed so calm, well almost, his hands were hadn't stopped moving and he was bouncing ever so slightly on the balls of his feet. Normalcy finally began returning to her brain and she began to focus on the fact that he, Gordo, was right in front of her and that there was something that she needed to tell him.
"Gordo, I'm glad to see you, it's just been a while." He nodded and she began to find the right words to segue into, 'I had your baby five and half years ago' when he began to speak.
"Lizzie there's some things I need to say to you, that I should have said years ago, and I want to get them all out now while I have some nerve." Lizzie nodded, and started to feel afraid, did he know? Had Matt told him behind her back?
"Lizzie, I am so sorry for everything that happened six years ago. I was jerk, and arrogant jerk who couldn't see that I had everything I'd always wanted right in front of me. I've traveled all over the world, seen so many places, trying to find something, and then I realized it's you, it's always been you."
Lizzie felt herself go lightheaded, she had not in a million years expected this, hoped for it many times, but never expected it.
Gordo looked at the sky as if looking for some divine words before continuing. "I may never be able to make up for what I did, the years that we lost because of me, that's okay, but I can't leave this reunion unless you know how sorry I am, and if I have at least started to make it up to you. If you have a husband or…anyone just let me know and I'll leave right now, but I am sorry Lizzie, I wish I had done this years ago, but I guess it took me a while to see the truth."
Lizzie felt completely stupefied standing there, she had longed to hear him say those words for years and there he was saying them, and it didn't seem real. Finally she found her voice.
"Gordo... that's so sweet…Thank you I… I don't know what to say."
Don't know what to say?!? Say that you have something to tell him too, that little voice in her head reminded her, but she pushed it away for a minute when he began to speak again.
"Lizzie, I know this is sudden and all, but would you like to grab a cup of coffee, I want to talk to you some more. Like I said nothing may ever help fix what I did, but maybe a cup of coffee will be a start. A small one, but a start."
Lizzie tried answering but she had too many thoughts to make them form a sentence. Tell him now; she thought, now, now, nownownow. Don't put it off, you've waited too long already, TELL HIM NOW! Okay, this is it.
Lizzie opened her mouth. "Sure, I'd love to."
A/N: Argh, another cliffhanger! I'll try (try being the operative word) to update by next week sometime. Oh, and I hope I didn't offend any die hard Sesame Street fans, not my idea, my "editor" (aka boyfriends) idea.
A/N- Hi everyone, sorry its been so long, its been a crazy couple weeks. I hate school!!! Anyways, to make up for it this is a REALLY long chapter, partly because it's been a while and partly because I promised to get Gordo there and it took a while, but I got him there. Yeah! So I hope you enjoy, and thank you so much for the reviews, they keep me motivated.
Chapter 9-Face to Face
"I mean…I always kind of thought, but… never really believed." Jo McGuire was seated between her children at the kitchen table trying to make sense of what she had heard. Lizzie felt horrible, she hadn't intended on her mother finding out the way that she had.
"Mom…I…" Lizzie tried to find an explanation but couldn't find one. "I'm sorry?" It came out as more of a question than a statement.
"SORRY!?"
Yikes, her mom hadn't sounded that mad in a long time.
"Lizzie how could you lie like that?" Lizzie was working on a response to the question when her father came in from the backyard. He looked around to see his wife clutching a glass of water and his children on either side of her; his son looking sheepish and his daughter looking unquestionably guilty.
"What's going on here? Jo, is something wrong?"
"Your daughter has something to tell you... don't you Lizzie?"
"Well..." Lizzie stammered trying to find a good excuse to leave the room. Her mom had been hard enough to deal with, and she was the calm, rational, parent; her father would be ten times worse.
"Lizzie, tell your father."
"Well... see the thing is..." Lizzie looked around nervously
"Lizzie!"
"GorisEmlyfader." Lizzie mumbled hurriedly; there that should do it she thought.
"Wha?" Sam looked even more confused now and he was starting to get a little irritated. Something was up and he wanted to know what it was; plus, the thought of burning his barbecue was dancing in his head.
Lizzie took a deep breath; well it was now or never. "Gordo is Emily's father! Whoa, don't we all feel a little better...?" There is it was out what was the worst that could happen?
--
"Okay Sam, honey, breathe, breathe in the bag...good."
"How...I can't believe...what." Sam gasped for air.
"Elevate his legs," Matt barked, "he may be going into shock. How many fingers am I holding up? "
"Leave your father alone," Jo gave more of a threat than a warning. "Sam, have you ever looked at Emily? Are you really surprised that Gordo is her father?"
"Oh he is um...Wow! No way." Miranda had just entered the room to see where everyone was, and had walked right into the middle of everything. "I think I'm going to go... somewhere else think about this news that I am hearing for the first time...ever."
"Hold it Miranda." Jo ordered, "Did you know about this?"
"Me? Uh...well" Miranda glanced helplessly at Lizzie who could only shrug. "MMMMM?" Miranda barely managed to give a muffled word and a circular nod.
"What...what was that?" Jo was determined to get a straight answer from someone.
"UHHHH?" Miranda stammered, nodding her head more violently this time. She loved Mrs. McGuire, but she was really intimidating when she was mad, she kind of put Melina to shame; she now knew why Mrs. McGuire enjoyed her so much.
Lizzie finally stepped in and saved her. "Yes, she knew alright! She's known since the beginning, when I found out I was pregnant... Larry knows too."
"WHAT! Larry and Miranda knew, but not your own parents!" Jo was really starting to yell now and Sam finally found his voice.
"It was a strange time for me..." She searched for a good pity line. "The love of my life had just left me and I was so scared...so alone" Lizzie gave her best sad face.
Jo's face softened and then, after a moment of realization, it became stonier than before. "Oh no you don't missy!"
"Lizzie we asked you to your face if Gordo was the father and you said no. You said it was 'one night...'" Sam shuddered at the thought and Lizzie began to regret her choice of lies. But it had been that or Immaculate Conception and at the time the latter had seemed a little too unbelievable; now it sounded much better. "You said that you would never be able to find this guy. Now you're saying that you lied right to our face?" Lizzie's lip began to tremble; it really sounded bad when he said it.
"Well dad," Matt spoke up, putting his arm around Lizzie's shoulders "Look at the up-side, we thought she was a slut, but now we know she's just a liar!"
"MATT!!" Both parents yelled in perfect unison.
"Matt get out of here... take Lizzie and Miranda with you," Jo turned her attention to Lizzie "your father and I need to talk."
"What am I twelve?" Lizzie asked. "I hate to break it to you, but I'm 28 now and I have a child of my own!" Lizzie stomped her foot indignantly; okay not the most mature thing to do.
"Elizabeth Brooke McGuire!" The look her mother shot her would have stopped an angry grizzly bear in his tracks.
"Fine, I'm going." Lizzie followed by Matt and Miranda slunk out of the room and almost ran into Lanny and Melina who were crouched just around the corner, apparently having overheard the entire conversation. The two jumped when they saw the trio hovering over them.
"You're right Lanny.... Uh, the walls are white. I always thought they were eggshell!" Melina looked up and smiled innocently.
"God, this is bad." Lizzie moaned as she made her way into the living room and flopped on to the couch. "They are freaking out."
"Well, Lizzie " Miranda asked coming to sit next to her on the couch, "are you really surprised? You did kind of lie to them about the father of your child, that's kind of big."
"Oh really? You think?" Lizzie didn't intend for that to come out quite as snippy as it had and noticing the hurt look on Miranda's face she quickly added, "You're right, I know that, I came here to tell the truth and face what ever consequences come my way." Lizzie leaned her back and sighed, "The worst is yet to come though, whatever my parents reaction is, Gordo's will be...I dunno, and that's what makes it so much worse."
Miranda tried to think of something supportive to say, but nothing seemed right so the two sat in silence. Matt, Lanny and Melina all came in as well and sat in various parts of the room; it was probably the quietist that Lizzie had ever heard the three of them.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, sitting became too much for Lizzie and she stood up. "I'm going to go check on Emily, make sure she's still asleep." The words were barely out of her mouth when her parents walked in.
"Hey guys." Lizzie tried to hide the quiver in her voice. Her parents looked tired, and her mom's eyes looked a little red, probably from crying.
"Sit down sweetheart." Her dad said. Sam and Jo sat down next to Lizzie; Miranda got up and went to stand next Matt. The parents motioned that they wanted to talk to Lizzie alone. Miranda and company headed out of the living room, but stayed in the door way; out of Sam and Jo's line of vision.
"Honey," her father started "We were shocked to find out who Emily's biological father is, very shocked." Lizzie nodded; this wasn't what she had expected. "It really hurts us," Sam continued, "that you felt that you had to hide this piece of information from us; Emily is our granddaughter." Lizzie nodded again, were they going to yell, was this the calm before the storm? It was an eerie feeling, like when it rains, but the sun is still shinning.
"We realized though," her mother began and she smiled at Lizzie, "why you did, you were trying to protect Gordo, and sweetie that's very noble of you."
Lizzie began to feel confused, where were they going with this? Her mother was still talking." He found out you were pregnant, and chose his movies over you and the baby. He obviously didn't love you the way we all thought he did."
Lizzie sat there shocked; oh lord she thought, they think he knew…oh no! Wait what was her father saying?
"When I think what that son of a…"
"Sam!" Her mother admonished him.
"Sorry, but what he did is reprehensible, leaving Lizzie and his child, his unborn child, to fend for themselves."
"Sweetie, we love you, and we're glad we know the truth now." Her mom gave her a huge hug before continuing. "You have been so brave the last few years, raising Emily alone, moving to a strange city, doing so well in your career…" Her mother leaned in for another hug as did her father, "We're so proud of you..." Both parents began to cry.
Lizzie spotted Matt and Miranda over her parent's shoulders. Both looked completely shocked. Lizzie knew she needed to set her parents straight, tell them that Gordo didn't know, he may have walked out on her, but not Emily. She needed to tell them that she had hid Emily from Gordo. She needed to tell them that if Gordo had known about Emily, he would have never left; she wasn't 100 percent sure, but she had faith in him. She needed to tell her parents these things, but she didn't want to ruin the moment. She looked helplessly at Miranda who mouthed to her "Tell them!" Right, tell them, no more lies..." "Mom…Dad…I…" Lizzie began, but was interrupted.
"Mommy! Mommy where are you?" Emily shouted from a room upstairs.
"I...Thanks for your support mom, dad, I really appreciate it." Lizzie said quickly giving them another hug before getting up. "I better go get Emily." Lizzie sped from the room, Miranda hot on her heels.
"What was that?" Miranda hissed as she chased Lizzie up the stairs, "Lizzie why didn't you…"
"Look not in front of Emily okay?" Lizzie stood in front of the door to her parent's room, where Emily had been napping. "I'll be down in a few minutes."
Miranda shook her head and headed for the room where she was staying, "You just made it...this is much worse Lizzie, you know that, don't you? This is not good, I mean, this is bad! Now you have two very big wrongs to right. You know I may not be here to help you pick up the pieces when this all blows up in your face. And believe me, this doesn't look like it has a happy ending."
"Miranda!" Lizzie pleaded; what was with her and all this foreboding? Why hadn't she stopped her parents in the middle and set them straight? Either way, it was a little pressure relieved for now; or at least now that she had practice. Telling Gordo would be easier now; she hoped.
--
The rest of the evening passed uneventfully. Her dad finished barbecuing; it was fabulous, having burned only a few odd pieces. Matt and his entourage departed about 9:00. Lanny was going undercover that night and Matt was doing preliminary surveillance for him; Melina was going along for fun or as they referred to her as, 'extra muscle'. Miranda was a little quiet and later in the evening she became a bit jumpy; she went to bed early claiming jet lag. Lizzie didn't think that she'd ever get Emily to sleep, but finally about 10:30, with the help of her mother she managed to get the little night owl in bed; Apparently, the two-hour time shift hadn't had any affect on Emily.
Lizzie, herself, had a hard time falling asleep. The guilt of lying to her parents, a second time, was weighing heavily on her as well as the knowledge that she was going to need to get in touch with Gordo the next day and begin part one of her twelve-step 'admitting who the father is' program. She wished that Springer was still on the air; a mental image of Steve having to restrain Gordo, while her father swung chairs at people, made her smile a little. Finally, a little after 2:30 in the morning, Lizzie managed to doze off.
--
She didn't think she had been sleeping that hard, but the next thing she knew the sun was shinning brightly and something was making the bed bounce up and down, was it an earthquake?
"Get up mommy," a little voice sang over and over.
"Mhmmm." Lizzie rolled over and found herself looking into the bright blue eyes of her daughter; a miniature earthquake in her own right. "What time is it Em?"
"I don't know!" The little girl giggled and continued to bounce. Lizzie was beginning to get seasick. "Sesame Street just ended."
"I can't believe that show is still on the air," Lizzie mumbled. She had grown up watching Sesame Street, but recently they had changed the format of the show; they had begun to develop storylines for the characters. Bert had moved out of he and Ernie's apartment and moved in with Elmo. Elmo owned his own clothing company and was a multi-millionaire, now Elmo only laughed at the sweet smell of money. Ernie had become so distraught that he had plotted to put Bert in a coma...
Wait, Sesame Street had just ended? That meant it was, Lizzie did some quick addition, almost ten in the morning. "How long have you been up sweetie, I didn't hear you get up?"
"I dunno, Grandma came in and got me a while ago. She made me pancakes and I got to see Grandpa before he went to work. Grandma and I are going to see him for lunch today."
Lizzie finally sat up and pulled the little girl into her lap for a hug.
"That sounds like fun. Is Aunt Randa up yet?" Emily giggled and squirmed trying to wiggle free of her mother and bounce some more.
"She left."
"Left? Where'd she go?" Lizzie tried to remember if Miranda had mentioned if she was going some place the night before.
"She went..." Emily tried to catch her breath, jumping on the bed, at any age, was hard work. "I dunno, she left a note on the kitchen counter, Grandma told me."
"C'mon munchkin lets go talk to Grandma and find out where Aunt Randa went." Lizzie got out of bed and managed to catch Emily in mid bounce.
"Hey," Emily protested wriggling in Lizzie's arms "Lemme go, I wanna bounce! I'm Tigger, I gotta bounce!"
--
Lizzie managed to get 'Tigger' down to the kitchen and plopped her into one of the chairs around the center island where her mom was using up the last of the pancake batter.
"Where'd Miranda go?"
Her mom smiled at her. "Good morning to you too, sleepyhead!"
"Sorry, Good morning mom. Now, where is Miranda?"
"She left a note that some aunt who lives in San Diego is in the hospital and that her parents drove up really early to take her to see the aunt in the hospital. She should be back either late Saturday or early Sunday."
"I wonder why she didn't just wake me up and tell me, why the note." Lizzie was sorry that Miranda had a sick family member, but she needed Miranda too! Wow, how selfish did that sound?
"Well she probably didn't want to wake you up, you tossed and turned there for awhile." Her mom gave her that pointed, over the glasses, raised eyebrow look.
"Yeah mommy, you kept me up all night!" Emily chimed in, wanting to be part of the grown up conversation.
"Is that so little miss." Lizzie answered leaning down to poke at Emily's' ribs. "I seem to remember someone kicking all night long… I wonder who that was?"
"Not me!!" Emily giggled, shaking her blonde curls.
"Hmmm… must have been some other little girl, with pink toenails!" Lizzie looked down at Emily's little pink toes hanging off of the edge of the chair.
"Here you go sweetie. I made your favorite kind, prune-chunk." Jo set down a plate of pancakes and a glass of juice in front of Lizzie. "Just kidding, they're chocolate chip. Eat up and I'll take Miss Em upstairs and get her cleaned up and dressed."
Lizzie felt a pang of guilt as she looked up at her mom and smiled, she had to stop lying. "Thanks mom."
Her mom smiled her best, most comforting, mom smile and started upstairs with Emily; Lizzie heard part of their conversation.
"I want to wear pink today Grandma, with bows in my hair."
"Just like your mother when she was five!" Jo encouraged.
--
Guilt had caused Lizzie's appetite to wane so she picked at her pancakes for a few minutes; and that was how Matt found her when he walked in.
"Hey Pinocchio!" He greeted her cheerfully tossing a gym bag on the counter and helping himself to one of her pancakes."
"Those are mine worm!" Lizzie swatted at him, not very mature, but what could she say old habits die-hard.
"So," Matt grinned at her undeterred, "when mom and dad find out about your second lie…well pancakes will be the least of your worries. I really have to thank you Lizzie, when everything comes out I will FINALLY be the 'good-one'!"
"Doubt it, I may have lied, but I haven't caused the FBI to show up at the door!"
"Not yet! I have some guys at working on a dossier of information on you, you're days are numbered old girl!"
Lizzie rolled her eyes she was never quite sure how seriously to take Matt.
"Where's mom?" Matt asked looking around the kitchen, "I'd hate for her to walk in on any more 'confessions'."
"That was your fault, you egged it out of me!"
"You lied in the first place!"
"Yeah well…" Argghh! She hated it when Matt was right. "…Well you're just a spiky haired weasel!"
"Hey you two!" Her mother called, coming into the room with Emily "I thought that by the time you were 28 and 25 this bickering would stop."
Lizzie bit back the urge to proclaim that 'he started it!" Instead she looked at her daughter, who looked adorable in a denim jumper with pink and purple flowers embroidered on it, a pink tee shirt, and little white Keds. Her blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail and a little pink bow was perched on top. Her mom had also changed into one of her many sweater sets and a skirt.
"Wow, you two look nice, what are you up to today?" Matt did his best sucking up routine.
Emily preened and did a little ballerina twirl before Jo answered. "We're going to run some errands, do a little shopping and have lunch with grandpa. Do you want to come Lizzie?"
Lizzie shook her head, "Nah, I have some stuff to do." Like finding reasons to avoid calling Gordo or try to get in touch with Miranda, she thought.
"Well okay, we'll be back later this afternoon," Both left the kitchen and headed for the front door. "Bye Matt, try leaving a little food for the rest of us!"
"Sure mmmgh." Matt called from the refrigerator; already gnawing on a cold leftover chicken leg.
Lizzie walked with her mom and Emily to the front door and helped Emily get her backpack on; the one she took everywhere.
"Be good for Grandma." Lizzie said kissing her forehead.
"I will, I will" Emily assured her.
--
Lizzie spent the rest of the morning showering, getting dressed, and avoiding her brother; the FBI agent with all his questions. She tried to call Miranda's cell phone, but apparently it had been turned off. She hoped that her Aunt would be ok and she even thought about going to the store to get a 'Get Well Soon' card.
About noon she was getting bored and was about to settle down with her computer and check her work emails when the doorbell rang. She waited for Matt to get it, he was closer, but it rang again. Lizzie finally got up and headed downstairs. She looked around for Matt and found him completely engrossed in some action hero video game, oblivious to the rest of the world. The doorbell rang for a third time and Lizzie finally ran to get it. When she opened the door her heart stopped in her chest and then proceeded to fall into her stomach.
"Gordo," she whispered.
--
Gordo had arrived in town early in the afternoon, the day before. Unfortunately most of his courage had been lost along the highway, so he had spent the day, at his parents' house, building it back up. Well that and sleeping, something he had done very little of the last few days. He had awakened Friday morning refreshed and ready to go; almost, it had taken a good four hours to find the perfect thing to say and then make himself walk over there. He had also worried that she wasn't even in town yet; the reunion wasn't for another week, there was a very good chance that she was still…wherever she lived now. Something deep in his gut made him go, however, told him she was there.
He had almost been sick to his stomach standing in front of her door again, so close; he had summoned every ounce of courage he had ever had to ring that doorbell…and then ring it again…and one more time. Gordo was about to give up for the day, take it as a sign, fate if you will, that this wasn't the day to make things right with Lizzie; then the door opened.
There she was. She looked exactly as he remembered, but different at the same time. She had the same blonde hair, a little longer than the last time he had seen her, just past her shoulders. They were the same brown eyes, which were quickly filling up with shock and disbelief; much like the last time he'd seen her actually. She was Lizzie, and yet she wasn't. This Lizzie was more mature, was a grown up, she was probably Elizabeth or Liz now, not Lizzie. She also hadn't said anything and Gordo debated whether or not he should leave when she finally whispered his name.
--
"Hi Lizzie." He said quietly, not much of opening line but he hadn't actually prepared anything for this part of the meeting. Part of him felt like turning around and running off. That's a great visual, he thought.
"Gordo" she said again, part of the shock seemed to be wearing off and it was replaced by something that looked like fear.
"What are you…Why are you…How you are…" Lizzie stammered. At least that hadn't changed too much, that part was still Lizzie.
"I came to see you." Gordo said simply, with a hint of confidence. "I needed to see you," he added.
Lizzie nodded; some coherence seemed to be making its way back to her face.
"How did you…"she began looking slightly confused
"I don't know, I just guessed and hoped that you'd be here."
Lizzie nodded again, he could tell she was still grappling with the whole situation and he began to fear that she had a boyfriend or husband inside, but he didn't see any rings and secretly hoped that she was single.
"I'm sorry, I just… seeing you," her voice trailed off.
"I know, it's been awhile."
Lizzie nodded her head again.
Her thoughts were racing so fast she could barely think coherently, let alone speak. Why was he here? Was it another dream, she pinched her arm and bit her tongue at the same time to check. Ouch!! Nope this definitely was not a dream. Gordo was standing in front of her, on her (well her parents) doorstep. Six years of nothing and suddenly there he is. Looking exactly as she remembered, dark curls, blue eyes, serious face, slouchy posture; it was Gordo. He looked older though, you could tell that he'd seen a lot; He had the same intensity as well, but it seemed more controlled, or focused, than it had in the past.
She couldn't decide what to do, part of her wanted to fall into his arms and feel that same security and warmth that she had craved all these years, to be safe in Gordo's protective embrace. Part of her wanted to really let him have it, to scream at him for the past, what he had done, how he had left, make him hurt the way she had. Then there was her conscience, which seemed to sound like Miranda, telling her to break down and confess everything, Emily and her lies, everything.
Unfortunately all she seemed able to do was say his name and a few half statements. He seemed so calm, well almost, his hands were hadn't stopped moving and he was bouncing ever so slightly on the balls of his feet. Normalcy finally began returning to her brain and she began to focus on the fact that he, Gordo, was right in front of her and that there was something that she needed to tell him.
"Gordo, I'm glad to see you, it's just been a while." He nodded and she began to find the right words to segue into, 'I had your baby five and half years ago' when he began to speak.
"Lizzie there's some things I need to say to you, that I should have said years ago, and I want to get them all out now while I have some nerve." Lizzie nodded, and started to feel afraid, did he know? Had Matt told him behind her back?
"Lizzie, I am so sorry for everything that happened six years ago. I was jerk, and arrogant jerk who couldn't see that I had everything I'd always wanted right in front of me. I've traveled all over the world, seen so many places, trying to find something, and then I realized it's you, it's always been you."
Lizzie felt herself go lightheaded, she had not in a million years expected this, hoped for it many times, but never expected it.
Gordo looked at the sky as if looking for some divine words before continuing. "I may never be able to make up for what I did, the years that we lost because of me, that's okay, but I can't leave this reunion unless you know how sorry I am, and if I have at least started to make it up to you. If you have a husband or…anyone just let me know and I'll leave right now, but I am sorry Lizzie, I wish I had done this years ago, but I guess it took me a while to see the truth."
Lizzie felt completely stupefied standing there, she had longed to hear him say those words for years and there he was saying them, and it didn't seem real. Finally she found her voice.
"Gordo... that's so sweet…Thank you I… I don't know what to say."
Don't know what to say?!? Say that you have something to tell him too, that little voice in her head reminded her, but she pushed it away for a minute when he began to speak again.
"Lizzie, I know this is sudden and all, but would you like to grab a cup of coffee, I want to talk to you some more. Like I said nothing may ever help fix what I did, but maybe a cup of coffee will be a start. A small one, but a start."
Lizzie tried answering but she had too many thoughts to make them form a sentence. Tell him now; she thought, now, now, nownownow. Don't put it off, you've waited too long already, TELL HIM NOW! Okay, this is it.
Lizzie opened her mouth. "Sure, I'd love to."
A/N: Argh, another cliffhanger! I'll try (try being the operative word) to update by next week sometime. Oh, and I hope I didn't offend any die hard Sesame Street fans, not my idea, my "editor" (aka boyfriends) idea.